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Background. The hypolipidemic effects of wheat bran have been widely documented; however, limited research has concurrently revealed the hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties of wheat bran protein (WBP). Objective. This study investigates the impact of WBP (5% daily dietary intake) on antioxidant activity, cholesterol metabolism, and serum/hepatic lipids in high-fat diet-fed rats. Methodology. In our animal experiment, we used 12 male Wistar rats that were 4 weeks old. Biochemical indicators of fecal, serum, intestinal, and liver were tested by kits or chemical techniques. The experiment on cholesterol micellar solubility was also carried out in vitro. Results. After 28 days of feeding, the results revealed that WBP significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol (P < 0.05) in serum and liver, the levels of triglycerides (P < 0.05), the levels of MDA (P < 0.05), and the levels of very low-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (P < 0.05), and significantly increased the levels of high-density lipoprotein (P < 0.05), the levels of glutathione peroxidase, and the level of total antioxidant capability. By downregulating the level of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (P < 0.05), WBP also reduced the content of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (P < 0.05). Conclusion. In vivo, WBP demonstrated a substantial hypolipidemic and antioxidant impact (P < 0.05), while in vitro, it significantly decreased the micellar solubility of cholesterol (P < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: So far, no articles have discussed the hypolipidemic effect of wheat germ protein in in vivo experiments. Objective: In this study, we investigated the effects of wheat germ protein (WGP, 300 mg/kg/day) and wheat germ (WG, 300 mg/kg/day) on cholesterol metabolism, antioxidant activities, and serum and hepatic lipids in rats fed a high-fat diet through gavage. Methodology: We used 4-week-old male Wistar 20 rats in our animal experiment. Biochemical indicators of fecal, serum and liver were tested by kits or chemical methods. We also conducted the cholesterol micellar solubility experiment in vitro. Results: After 28 days of treatment, our results showed that WGP significantly reduced the serum levels of total cholesterol (p < 0.05) and nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.05), improved the enzymatic activities of cholesterol 7-α hydroxylase (p < 0.01) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (p < 0.01) and increased bile acid excretion in feces (p < 0.05). Conclusion: WG did not significantly increase bile acid excretion in feces or decrease serum levels of total cholesterol. Moreover, WGP and WG both presented significant antioxidant activity in vivo (p < 0.05) and caused a significant reduction in cholesterol micellar solubility in vitro (p < 0.001). Therefore, WGP may effectively prevent hyperlipidemia and its complications as WGP treatment enhanced antioxidant activity, decreased the concentration of serum lipids and improved the activity of enzymes involved in cholesterol metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]